How to Squeeze Three Horses into a Two Horse Trailer

Tessi is bigger than Nora now! We noticed it with some surprise yesterday when the two of them where side by side in the horse trailer. It made me reminisce on when Tessi was teeny and we could fit all three horses in our two horse trailer, with Tessi squeezed between her Mommie and her Auntie (see photo above). We certainly can't do that now. I measured Tessi yesterday and saw that she is now 14.2 hands at her croup (rump) - her shoulder is shorter and will need to catch up. Zazu grew until she was eight years old, so it may very well be that Tessi will reach 15 hands, like her mom. I would like her to stay at 14.2 but I have a feeling that is unlikely. Once she breaks the 14.2 threshold she will officially be horse size (not pony).

Thanksgiving

 Friendly is still sitting on her eggs. Bubba and Ennis need their hooves trimmed (Shasta's were done last Sunday). Moses is getting bigger and sweeter. Thanksgiving is almost here. We're going to Michael and Colleen's house to celebrate. We're bringing pumpkin pie. The recent rain has made the grass sprout in the horse pasture. The leaves are finally falling off the mulberry trees. So much to be thankful for...

Worrying About Tessi

 I noticed a slight resistance when Tessi is lunged to the right. I suspect a problem in the right hind leg. I have noticed a slight problem in this leg for some time. It has not resolved itself as it should have by now and that causes me concern. I am going to call our vet so he can tell me if this is an injury or just a normal type of stiffness (horses, typically move better on either their right or left side - similar to people being either right-handed or left-handed).

I am worried. I have gone through a range of lameness issues, and for a horse lover, the specter of lameness in a beloved horse causes a sick feeling in the pit of the stomach. I find myself going in denial or minimizing my suspicions: - maybe I'm imagining things - it's probably nothing... But experience has proven I have a sharp eye for even the mildest lameness issues. Something is going on in that right hind leg. I'll make an appointment with the vet today.

Goat Family - Ennis, Bubba and Shasta

These are goats - not sheep. They are Angora goats and they make Mohair. That's Ennis in the top photo with Shasta back when he was a kid. That photo is about four years old. The bottom photo is Shasta with his daddy Bubba. The goats live in the paddock with the horses and chickens. The hierarchy is, from highest to lowest, as follows: Zazu, Nora, Tessi, Bubba, Ennis and Shasta - then the chickens (who have their own hierarchy).

Jumpy the Hen

Here's Jumpy the hen, sitting on Nora. She lays cream colored eggs. She's our smallest hen. She likes to sit on the horses at breakfast time. None of the horses seem to mind having her jump on them.

Moses the Kitten

I found Moses by the river last month. I was getting Nora saddled up for a ride and heard a tiny kitten making a very big noise. He was desperate, starving and calling for help. I took him home and now he's part of the family. Getting bigger by leaps and bounds. I named him Moses because I found him by the river but also after the subject of James Herriot's children's book: Moses the Kitten. Read it if you get a chance. It's a sweet story.

Hugo and Harry

Hugo is our blind Persian. A very happy and mellow fellow. Hugo is about 15 years old and has been blind for a long time. He lost his eyes because of an auto immune disorder but adjusted very well. He loves to bathe in the morning sun and greet every guest that comes to visit.

Harry is the handsome black cat. He's about 7 years old. I found him at the SPCA. He's a very debonair fellow. When he's outside and I call him over to me, he meows back and comes running - really.